A vital part of the Campbell River area economy – missing for too long – has roared back to life with the massive sockeye return.
"It's spectacular for business," said Walcan Seafood Ltd. president Bill Pirie. "There's tremendous excitement throughout the community when something like this ends up happening. I think everybody is surprised and happy to see this.
"Anybody that has been involved in this industry has never seen fishing like they are seeing now."
That means Walcan workers are running off their feet, putting in 12 to 14-hour days, seven days a week as Campbell River area fishing boats bring in the sockeye for processing. Pirie said Walcan employs about 120 people on the processing floor along with packers and others. Pirie started Walcan in 1974.
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